Cross-Country: Mighty Mason takes another title

The George Mason girls’ cross-country team enjoyed a banner year in 2008, winning its first district, region and state championships.

On Wednesday in Charlottesville, the Mustangs looked poised to sweep the postseason all over again. They breezed to the Region B championship over Strasburg, Page County and Clarke County and announced themselves as the favorites to the Virginia A state championship. The top four teams and 15 individuals qualified for the state meet on Nov. 14.

Sophomore Natalie Young, George Mason’s top runner, was out yesterday with the same groin injury that has caused her to miss most of the season. But sophomore Eva Estrada ran well in her place, finishing second overall in 19 minutes 33 seconds, nearly a full minute faster than what she ran last year on the same 5K Panorama Farms course.

Freshman Hannah Beaman and sophomores Michelle de Mars and Abigail Perez clinched the title for George Mason. They finished 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively, and just a four-second spread separated them.

Strasburg sophomore Katlyn Ayers won her second straight individual championship in 18:50.

“The girls have really done a great job this season of pulling together to make up for missing people,” George Mason Coach Julie Bravin said. “The girls are very close to one another and want to step in to make the team the best they can. They packed it together and really attacked the hills. It was a great way to go into the state meet.”

Clarke County dominated the boys' meet, winning its sixth straight region title. Led by individual champion Adam Owens (16:33), the Eagles occupied the top six spots and outscored runner-up Altavista, 15-108. Central of Woodstock and George Mason rounded out the top four teams.